Falling into Place
by RocksandCoffee
Summary: AU. What if Castle went back for Kate at the end of "A Deadly Game?"
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** AU. What if Castle went back for Kate at the end of Season 2?

 **Disclaimer:** Not mine, thank goodness.

 **A/N:** Many thanks to my betas, Li and Cami! :)

* * *

Gina's hand was wrapped firmly around Castle's bicep as they walked toward the elevator. It was comforting, in a way, how they had reconnected last night.

"See you in the fall?" Beckett called from behind. There was a hint of something in her voice, but it was probably his imagination looking for what wasn't there.

"Yeah," he answered over his shoulder, "See you in the fall."

As the doors closed, he watched her lean against the glass, her lips thin and eyes closed as if the world had just turned upside down. Maybe he had missed something? He replayed his and Beckett's conversation in his mind. She had practically flirted with him before asking to speak with him alone, and her eyes - they had been so vibrant - just before Gina showed and he'd told her they were going to the Hamptons.

"What's wrong, Richard?" Gina asked, "We haven't left the building, and you're already brooding."

The elevator slowed and opened into the lobby.

"I think this is a mistake," he said, gently taking her hand from his arm as they walked past the doors. "I'm sorry, Gina, I need to go back and talk to Beckett."

She stepped back from him. "I thought this felt like we were slipping together a little too easily," she said, "You sure you want to take a chance on her?"

"Yes," he admitted, "I really do."

"Then you need to follow your heart, Richard." The firm set of her brow and slow nod spoke volumes. "I'll take a cab from here - you go and make amends with her before it's too late. You never know, maybe she can inspire the ending of the book out of you."

"Thanks," he said, giving her a brief hug before going back to the elevator.

Castle punched the floor button and stood inches from the doors as he was slowly dragged back to homicide. He bounced on the balls of his feet, wanting to make the thing move faster, but his Jedi mind tricks still didn't work.

The bell finally rang for the floor, and as soon as the opening was wide enough, he burst through, stumbling into the bullpen, nearly face-planting onto the floor.

Kate was still leaning against the wall, her head tilted downward as she wiped at her tear-stained cheeks. Quickly, she composed herself. "Castle? What are you doing back? Did you forget something?"

The pain in her voice stung, and he knew he deserved it. "Yeah, I think so," he said, after finally finding his balance. He took a few steps forward, taking in the slump of her shoulders and the dullness in her eyes, hating that he was the cause of it. He swallowed hard, then took his chance. "You."

Her breath hitched as she asked, "What?"

"You started to say something, just as Gina walked in - she's gone, by the way, already on her way home by now. We jumped in a little too soon, I think," he rambled, then refocused his attention to her. "I made a wrong choice, and I know you have plans with Demming, but," he took a deep breath and took her hands in his, "the offer stands. Go with me to the Hamptons. Please?"

"I don't have plans with Tom - In fact, I broke up with him," she said, "that's what I was going to tell you, that there is nothing I want to do more than spend the weekend with you. I even went home while you were away and packed."

Her face remained unchanged, so he wasn't sure what to make of her revelation. "Really? You- you really did that?"

"Well, yeah, but before you get too excited, are you sure you want me to go? I mean, Gina was hanging on your arm less than five minutes ago. That's kind of a quick turnaround, don't you think?"

She had him there, but there was still hope. "I don't know if it makes a difference, but you were my first choice. You've been my first choice for a while now. When it seemed I couldn't convince you to go..." he shrugged.

Maybe this was a wrong choice, and it was too late. He began to turn back around, toward the elevator. "Well, I had to try," he said, smiling a smile he didn't quite feel. "I guess I'll go, alone. I'm not sure I want to hang around after what just happened. I'm surprised Esposito hasn't already pounded me into a pile of broken bones, going by the glare he's giving me. Not to mention Lanie, and she could make it look like an accident."

"I wouldn't worry about them." Kate glanced toward the break room and every one looked away, pretending like they weren't watching her and Castle's every move. "They'll have a hard enough time trying to figure out what happened."

"Wh-What do you mean?" He asked, then with a roll of her eyes, walked to her desk and took the bag she had tucked underneath.

"You need me to spell it out for you?" She waved at the others, then slung the bag over her shoulder, her eyes burning into his, "Don't make me regret this, okay?"

Castle was suddenly, and almost painfully, aware of all their colleague's eyes on him. Some still weren't exactly friendly. "No spelling is necessary, I'm good. We have an unforgettable weekend ahead of us!"

Beckett took the hand he offered and let him lead the way.

* * *

It was late evening when they arrived, and Castle took their bags upstairs before giving Beckett a quick tour of his house. It was breath-taking, and he made it easy to follow, listening to his stories of the inspiration for the decor of this room and that, and of times here with Alexis and Martha.

His tour seemed to be slowing to an end, and they were on the second floor, quietly walking the length of the hallway just beyond the secret passage from the library.

As the silence began to get a bit awkward, Castle spoke, "Here are the bedrooms. There are several to choose from, but I thought you might like this one. In fact, your bag is already inside," he stated, then opened the door for her. He stayed in place as she stepped inside, still awestruck with her surroundings. "The window faces East and catches the morning light. It's beautiful-" There was a brief moment, like he stopped before he could say anything else. She turned toward him as he cleared his throat and continued, "The en suite is through the door to the left, and my room is at this end of the hallway."

"Thanks," she said, then studied him for almost too long. "Why are you still in the hall?"

"I made a promise earlier that this is meant to be a good time between friends. This is your room, and I respect that." Castle took a short step backward, "If you need anything, anything at all, I'm just over here," he pointed to his room once more. "I'll see you in the morning.

She nodded, considering his words, "That's really sweet of you, Castle. Good night."

"Until tomorrow, Beckett," he answered softly, then smiled as he slowly turned and walked toward his room.

She pushed the door until it clicked shut, then leaned against it. She let out a puff of air, fluttering the ends of the hair that fell along her cheek. He was right - this would definitely be an unforgettable weekend.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** So you know, I have this about 99% written (tweaking the last few pieces) and will be a total of five chapters.

Thanks to everyone who faved/followed/reviewed! I appreciate each and every one! :)

* * *

Kate awoke when the first rays of sun filtered through the windows. Castle was right - the view was beautiful. The clouds hanging over the coastline were painted with purples and pinks that slowly changed into yellows and oranges as the sun made its way above the water.

She stretched, then sat on the floor, legs crossed, facing the sun. Taking in a deep breath, Kate closed her eyes and let the light soak into her skin, rolling her shoulders as the warmth spread all over her body. Slowly, she rose, and moved into a simple yoga stretch, trying to keep her mind focused on the movement and her breathing, but her thoughts kept wandering back to where she was, and who was located only a few doors down the hall.

Almost the whole routine was finished, when Kate was interrupted by the click of a door closing. She wasn't aware of how much time had passed, but it was early for Castle to be up. His footsteps were quiet and seemed to slow as he walked by her door. Then he must have stumbled, going by the noise that was quickly followed by a soft curse before he moved on.

Maybe he was distracted, too.

She sat down to meditate and take in a little more of the morning rays, but when her thoughts kept slipping into areas she wasn't ready to focus on, she got up and paced the room. All that accomplished was the feeling of being caged, so she changed into her swim suit. A morning swim would help work out whatever this was. Kate found a beach towel on one of the bathroom shelves, slung it over her shoulder, and went downstairs to see what Castle was doing.

And maybe see how he was handling things so far.

* * *

Castle awoke with the first light of day and couldn't go back to sleep. It wasn't for a lack of trying. He laid there, wishing for a few more hours, but his eyes wouldn't stay shut, and he felt good, considering the small amount of sleep he'd managed.

Last night, after saying good night to Beckett, had been his most productive in several weeks, and if this writing streak continued, he may have Naked Heat finished sooner than expected. Convincing her to stay the weekend was definitely a good thing for his writing, among other things. Apparently, catching up on sleep wasn't one of them. At the moment, at least.

He gave up on staring at the ceiling to take a quick shower and dress before going downstairs to start breakfast. As he left the bedroom, he grabbed his laptop. The stirrings of a few more pages tingled at the back of his mind, so it would be a good idea to keep it close.

Quietly, he stepped past Beckett's room, so not to disturb her. After yesterday's events, she could probably use as much quiet time as possible, and he respected that. Even if it took a lot of willpower to not pester her.

Castle couldn't wipe the silly grin off his face, even if he tried. He was so excited she'd agreed to come here, but Beckett might shoot him if she knew, so he tried his best to tamp it down. In his moment of distraction, he accidentally dragged his toe on the floor, knocking him off-balance and almost made him drop everything, but he managed to keep it together, sort of.

Once he got to the kitchen, it didn't take long to start the coffee, but he didn't have a clue where to start on breakfast. There was plenty of food in the refrigerator, including a bowl of fruit on the counter.

"You read my mind - The coffee smells wonderful."

He jumped and turned, seeing Beckett already in her swim suit with a towel over one shoulder. She was breath-taking to say the least - his words were gone.

Her eyes widened after a moment, then, her perpetually un-amused mask came down. "Good morning, Castle."

When he finally found his voice, he said, " You're up early. I mean, it's - coffee's - not ready yet. Um... good morning." It was stupid, but the words flew from his mouth before he could stop them. He would have gladly melted into the floor if it was possible.

The corner of her mouth curled upwards as she softened a little and slipped into one of the chairs at the table. "It's eight o'clock, Castle. That's not early."

"Well, to you, maybe. You certainly surprised me," he shrugged, "I was about to make breakfast. Have any suggestions?"

"Yeah, toss an apple over."

He reached into the fruit bowl and did so. She easily caught it one-handed and he added, "There's yogurt in the fridge if you'd like some to go with it."

"No thanks, just coffee for now," answered Beckett, "I'll grab something more later."

"Okay. So, going for a swim after you're finished?" he asked.

When she smiled, it was obvious she liked how flustered she'd made him. "I'd thought about it. I mean, I don't usually go around in my swim suit for kicks."

"Well, yeah, that makes sense." The coffee maker beeped and he immediately opened the cabinet door above his head, "I'll get mugs for the coffee." He had never been so thankful for a distraction in his life.

He poured the steaming beverage into the mugs and made sure latte was perfect before sliding it over to Kate. She cradled it in her hands and closed her eyes as she took a long sip.

She caught him staring when he didn't look away fast enough, but didn't call him out, just asked, "Writing?"

His mind was blank for a moment, then at her nod, he remembered bringing his laptop. "Oh. Oh yeah, I did last night. I thought I may write more this morning, but well, I got distracted."

"Oh, you were up late, huh? Then I should probably leave you two alone," she said with a wink, "give you some time without distraction."

Castle laughed and replied, "You're not a distraction." Going by Beckett's look, she wasn't fooled. "Okay, but you know that offer to help you apply sun screen stands."

"I bet it does." She stood, rolling her eyes as she smiled again. There was something a little different in it this time. "Well, when you find a stopping point, why don't you join me?"

"Yeah, I could do that." What else would he do, really? The wheels in his mind began to turn and his fingers itched, which meant he'd get that much closer to finishing the book. "I'll see you in a bit."

The story was calling to him, but not strong enough for him to ignore Beckett's every move as she walked out of the room.

It was amazing how quickly his inspiration was returning.

* * *

He saved the document and closed his laptop. Only a few chapters remained before he would start editing, but he was so much closer to the end than two days ago. Having Beckett here was infinitely helpful. He wished he could find some way to tell her before their time was up.

He was unaware of how much time had passed, and when he checked the clock, it had only been about three hours. It was perfect - Castle practically ran to his room to change into swim trunks and grabbed a towel. He couldn't wait to get to the pool - where Beckett was.

As he stepped around the fence surrounding the pool, Kate's back was at an angle to him. She was reclined on one of the beach chairs with dark sunglasses covering her eyes. He tried to not stare, because she had some kind of spidey sense about that, but he couldn't help it. - Well, not completely.

She was situated only a few feet from the water's edge on the deep end, and maybe she wasn't paying attention.

The towel didn't quite have time to flutter to the ground before he sprinted toward the water, probably putting his life in danger, but it would be so much fun to do this just once.

"CANNONBALL!" he yelled as he leaped and curled into a ball.

There was a jumble of his name, followed by a string of other words in the air just as he was engulfed in the water. When he surfaced and shook the water out of his hair, Beckett was sitting up, water dripping from her hair, sunglasses off, and totally not amused.

"Oops?" he said, and smiled. She had a sense of humor in there, somewhere.

"Oops? Just... oops?"

Well, that was an opening.

"The water's fine, why don't you join me?" He splashed at her, purposely missing by a few inches. "Besides, this is supposed to be a fun weekend. What's not fun about a little water fight?" He splashed again, not missing this time.

Beckett moved to the edge and swiped her hand through the water, hitting him on the face with the spray. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into."

"Then show me, Detective."

Her eyes told him exactly how much she accepted his challenge. "All right."

When she backed up and walked to the other side of the pool, he wasn't sure what to expect, and there might have been a sliver of fear that trickled down his spine. Beckett ran and dove into the water a few yards in front of him, and the next thing he knew, he was being pulled under.

They surfaced, both sputtering. She pushed another wave of water on him, and he retaliated. Soon they were breathless with the effort of trying to dunk and splash each other coupled with their laughter.

After coming up for air once more, Castle raised his hands in surrender and gasped, "Apples, apples! You were right, I had no idea."

Beckett smiled, also trying to catch her breath. The happiness brightened her eyes in a way he had never seen before. "You better think twice next time."

He shook his head and answered, "I probably won't."

Her gaze may have held on for a bit too long, then she swam off. "I'm going to lay out again. Try to keep from dousing me, all right?"

"I make no promises," he answered, then, at her almost-glare, he finished, "But I will do my best."

Kate probably thought her smile was hidden when she turned, but he saw it, and the feeling of a mission accomplished swelled in his chest as he swam away.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks, again, for all the follows, favorites, and reviews! I apologize for not responding to reviews like I normally do - with all the technical difficulties going on around here, I'm doing good to update when I can! Hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

The sky was streaked in clouds of pink, purple, and gold as the sun slipped beyond the horizon. The ocean breeze was cool while the waves splashed at her knees as Kate dipped a plastic bucket into the water, filling it. She toted it back to the fire ring, sloshing water onto her toes as she set it down. The day had been very fun and relaxing, more so than she thought it might. Castle was a perfect gentleman, like he had promised, and his efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.

He approached with one last armload load of wood that he added to the pile to the side. "I think that should be enough to last. What do you think?"

She looked at the stack and shrugged as she assembled the smaller sticks inside the fire ring. "That depends, how long are we planning on staying out here?"

"I don't know," he set the last log down and his gaze caught her. "A couple of hours, at least. I have the fireworks and there is food and drink in the cooler, so there's no *real* need of going back to the house until the fire goes out."

"Oh, okay." It wasn't an exact answer, but it was enough. "Then this will be fine. When do we start on the fireworks?"

"After we eat, but you have to promise not to arrest me."

"Why, are they illegal?" she teased. The way his eyes widened, she couldn't help but roll hers. "And why am I not surprised? I can think of a lot of things I'd rather do than arrest you on our weekend together."

Castle seemed at a lack for words, then finally said, "Would you, um, care to elaborate on that, Detective?"

It wasn't surprising that he called her out on that. "Not at the moment, no."

"Fine," he said, with a flicker of mock-seriousness in his eyes, "but don't think this is the end of this conversation."

She left the fire ring and opened the cooler, dug out a beer and popped the cap off. After taking several swallows, she answered, "I wouldn't expect any less from you, Castle. Now, let's get this fire going - I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

"Say no more; your wish is my command." He shuffled through the cooler, finding the hot dogs and then started patting down the pockets of his shorts. "You didn't happen to bring matches, did you?"

* * *

The night grew late, and Kate sat next to Castle, poking at the dying fire and sending a spray of glowing sparks into the air. Their fireworks display had been finished for a while, but others around them were still lighting the sky. She had no idea what time it was, and wasn't ready to go in just yet.

"You know, we have a few more logs to put on, if you want," his voice was soft as he looked up from the notebook he'd been writing in. When their eyes met, he continued, "or you can keep playing with the fire. It's all good."

Her veins were still warm and buzzing with the remnants of the alcohol she'd consumed, and she smiled, "What if I like playing with fire?"

"Like I said, it's all good." Castle was still keeping it safe. "Playing with fire can be fun."

"It can also be dangerous."

His eyebrows knitted together for a moment and he shifted toward her. He closed the book and set it to the side as he replied, "That's true, but if you understand the workings of the flame; what feeds it and what tames it, you can keep it from becoming dangerous."

"But there are things you can't always account for," Kate said, sending another fluttering of embers into the air, "things that could make even this become unpredictable."

"And that's why you always have a bucket of water nearby," he answered, tapping at the plastic bucket with his toe, "a safety net, in case it does happen." As if the universe was listening, the wind gusted, causing the small flames to flare up and billow wildly for a few seconds before calming down. "And sometimes, you wait it out, see what happens."

"So, I guess that's why you start out small at first, then build it up, huh?" she asked, and moved closer to him. "So you learn how the flame acts."

"Yeah, I suppose so." When she leaned against him, he rested his arm over her shoulder. It all felt so natural, like it was something he'd always done. "Starting out small is always good. If you build it up too fast, sometimes, the fire dies before it can get started."

"How do you know if you're going too fast?" She didn't care if the wording was wrong. They talked often talked like this. Castle would understand.

He gently took the stick from her hand, his fingers caressing hers as he did so. "See, this fire has been burning for a while, so it's nice and hot. If I put one of the larger logs on it now, it'll take a little time, but will eventually burn as well. If I had put it on a few hours ago, while the smaller sticks and twigs were still catching fire, it could have put the flame out and we'd have to start over."

"I don't want to start over," she stated.

"Then we're fine right where we are," he said, and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "That is, as long as you're okay with this."

Slowly, carefully, Kate snaked her arm around his back and relaxed against him. "I'm definitely okay."


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all so much for your kind words! You're too kind! :) Hope you continue to enjoy this little fluff fest. lol

* * *

After seeing Castle off to bed, Kate reluctantly went to her room, curling around the pillow that was way too comfortable. She was tired, but her blood still buzzed with adrenaline or something that refused to let her sleep.

She stared at the ceiling as the room grew brighter with the rays of the rising sun. She dozed in and out, but never totally went under, so she decided to get up and take a shower.

When Kate stepped out of her room, the rumbling coming from Castle's room told her she didn't have to worry about being quiet - he wouldn't be about to hear her over the snoring.

With a smile, she made her way to the library. Castle guided her through the room on his tour, but this time, it seemed so much bigger than it did on the first night. She could spend hours just perusing the copies lining the shelves.

When she turned a corner, there was a reading window she didn't recall seeing before. Of course, the seat was over stuffed and looked incredibly comfortable, with a view of the ocean like that of her room. It was perfect. Kate found the shelf holding his works, pulled a copy of one of his early Storm books and curled into the reading alcove.

Castle may be asleep, but his work could keep her company until he returned to the world of the living.

Castle woke up, sprawled across his bed, mouth open, in a wet patch of drool on his pillow. He didn't remember how he got there, either. All that came to mind was the great time he and Kate had last night, staying out until the palest glow touched on the eastern horizon.

He sat up and tossed the pillow to the floor when he realized what had awakened him.

There was a tap on his door, then Kate, "Castle? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he gruffed. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton. "You can come in."

Slowly, the door opened, and she stepped inside, carrying a tray. "Hey, I'm sorry to wake you."

He rubbed his eyes, "I wasn't-"

"Don't lie," she interrupted, "You were snoring so loud, I'm surprised you didn't break a window."

"I am so busted." Castle sat there for a moment, trying for it, but no witty comment was coming. "You brought food! What's on the tray?"

"Brunch, sort of? Scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, a little fruit, and coffee," she answered and set the tray on the bedside.

"Awesome!" He started to reach for one of the mugs, then stopped and looked, really looked, at her. She was absolutely stunning. "You didn't have to do this."

She sat on the edge the bed, careful not to spill the tray's contents. "I know, but I also knew you would be starving if you ever woke up."

"What time-"

"Half-past noon. I've been up for a while and got bored. I, uh, I hope you don't mind." She popped a grape into her mouth and chewed. He wondered, briefly, if she knew how sexy that was.

"Of course I don't mind, Kate. Looks like you made enough for two," He smiled and reached for her, taking her hand in his, "I'm glad you feel at home here."

"Thanks for making it feel that way." She walked to his dresser and opened drawers until she collected a set of clothes, then tossed the pile to him.

"Wow. You really have made yourself at home. What's this for?"

She smiled, "You're a little under-dressed if you want to take a walk with me when we're finished."

Castle took another bite of bacon and eggs and swallowed it down with the coffee. "I think you just want me dressed so it's easier for you to keep your hands off me," he stated through a partial mouthful.

By the almost-instant coloring of her cheeks, he knew he'd called her play correctly. Kate returned to his side and swiped the last strip of bacon from his grasp. He didn't care, as long as she was here, he would let her have whatever she wanted.

"You're right, Castle," she admitted after finishing the piece, "I don't want to mess this up, that's all."

"No worries," he said, "if anyone's going to mess this up, it's me. I'm the one with the awesome track record. Unless... you have a husband out there that no one knows about?"

She smacked him playfully on the shoulder. "There are less than twenty-four hours before we have to go back to the city. Finish eating so we can go, all right?"

"I will if you will."

"Deal." Kate picked up the other fork and helped herself to the rest of the scrambled eggs.

Once again, they watched the sun sink below the edge of the earth and the first stars began to sparkle into life. This time, they were on Castle's balcony, wine glass in hand, and reclining on a pallet of sorts that he had made. She sipped the red, feeling its warmth soak into her veins and spread across her body. They had barely spent any time apart today, and time seemed to be running too fast, leaving them with only their return to the city in the morning.

"So, how does this change things?" she finally asked as she stretched out, propped up on one elbow. This weekend had been so free, so fun. There were so many ways it could change both of their lives.

Castle shifted, mirroring her position. "What do you mean? We've already changed. There's no going back, if you ask me."

"No, that's not what I mean." He really didn't get it. Kate pulled in a deep breath, giving life to the words that had plagued her most of the day. "What if, when you come back to the precinct, they won't let us work together? I mean, partners can't have this kind of relationship."

"But I'm not employed by the city, and even then, I'm sure Montgomery will look the other way. I don't know if you've noticed, but he's been cheering us on for a long time now."

She snuggled closer to his side. "I hope you're right."

"The thing is, I know I am."

His smug tone kind of rubbed her the wrong way. "Do you realize you sound like an ass sometimes?"

He hid his smile with a sip of wine. "Not really, but I have yet to hear any complaints about my ass."

Kate poked him in the ribs, eliciting some kind of squeaky laughter out of Castle. "What the hell was that?" she asked.

"My reaction to you?" he answered, shuffling to set his glass down without spilling its contents. "You poke hard."

"You're ticklish, too," she stated, then set her wine glass down as well.

He tried to squirm away, "You know, I find it hot that you want to find all of my ticklish places, but I have to warn you, you don't know what you're getting into."

"Then show me," she challenged.

He touched her shoulder, dragging his fingers down her side slowly, finally resting on her knee. "Do you know how a horse bites an apple?"

"What?" Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew the question was a distraction, and it was working.

"Like this." Castle smiled and squeezed just above the kneecap.

Kate folded at the mix of tickling and almost-pain sensations from his action, but managed to knock his hand away. She pushed him over and pinned him on his stomach, which was easy with him laughing so hard.

"Wh-What are you doing?" He asked, his voice muffled and breathless.

"What does it feel like?" she asked, then sat on his backside while wrapping one arm around his ankles and tickling the bottoms of his feet with her free hand. Castle struggled to break her grip, but she held tight, laughing with him.

"Okay, okay! Apples!," he gasped, "Uncle! I'll give you anything! A pony! A shiny plastic rocket! You name it!"

She let go and rolled off of him, propped up on one elbow again while he attempted to right himself.

When he appeared to be settled, she asked, "Anything?"

Castle's eyes widened, and he nodded, saying, "I did say that, didn't I?"

Kate leaned in close, but not touching, smiling at the surprise on his face. "I'll have to think about that," she whispered, then laid back onto the blanket. The sky was beautiful and clear, and the stars weren't drowned out by the lights of the city.

He fell back and blew out a lungful of air. She shouldn't have been surprised about his over-the-top reaction, and she had to admit, it was fun playing around with him. "You know, you should go with me to my dad's cabin some time. I think you'll like it."

"If you're there, I'm sure I will." He stretched his arms and rested them behind his head. "It would be nice to spend more time with you. Just you, and nothing else."

"Yeah, me too," she admitted, "Even though that sounds suspicious."

"It does, doesn't it?" he chuckled, "For once, I didn't mean it that way. No distractions, no deadlines, just us. That sound better?"

"Lots. Thanks."

He shifted, and his fingertips started at her shoulder, trailing down her arm to her hand, where he twined their hands together. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it.

"I'm so glad you decided to come with me, Kate."

"I'm glad you invited me out, Castle."

They both laughed at the timing of their statements, then Kate sat up and kissed him, sliding her lips over his, with their hands still joined between them. When they parted, she smiled, saying, "I could definitely get used to this."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Again, thank you for reading! I hope this has been as much fun for you as it has been for me! :)

* * *

Kate walked to the water's edge and took off her sandals, letting them hang from the fingers of her left hand. She bent, reaching toward the cool waves as they washed over her bare feet. The weekend was over, but with it came the beginning of something so bright, so new.

She took in a deep breath and the salty tang of the air brought with it a calm she hadn't felt in a long time. It was kind of strange, in a way, even with all the ocean sounds and the billowing of the wind, she still knew when he was around. When she reached behind, his hand was twined with hers almost instantly.

Everything about them felt so easy, how well they fit together. Almost like they were meant to be. The wind blew her hair and she tucked it over her ear, batting her eyes at him. "See something you like?"

"You could say that." Castle smiled and added, "Though, I'm not sure which is more beautiful - the sunrise, or you. Maybe we should call it a draw?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "You had to delve deep for that one."

"Well, it is early," he replied, "and I haven't had coffee yet."

"How late did you write?" She squeezed his hand and started back toward his house. "You were in some sort of trance with the laptop when I fell asleep."

"I don't have a clue. Three, maybe four o'clock? So you know, I made a lot of progress." Castle stopped and caressed her cheek, smoothing the hair away from her eyes. "Kate, I've been trying to find the words all weekend, and I still don't know exactly how to say it, but I'm going to try: I've had a wonderful time this weekend. I've never felt as energized about writing as I do now. You are truly my inspiration, and it means the world that you're here. Thank you, for taking a chance on this. On us."

Smiling, she blushed and leaned into his hand. "I've had a great time, too. Thanks for inviting me. It's like we've fallen into place-"

"Yeah, like pieces of a puzzle, right?" he finished. "I was thinking the same thing!"

Kate couldn't help but laugh, and Castle was right there with her. She dropped her sandals onto the sand and pulled him down, pressing her lips against his. When they parted, she ruffled the hair at the base of his skull, whispering in his ear, "Last one back makes the coffee!"

She laughed even harder as she ran, almost breathless, as he growled and chased after her.

* * *

Castle walked with Kate to her apartment, insisting on carrying her bags as he did so. She fumbled for her keys taking a bit longer than necessary to find the one for the door. "Are you all right, Kate? You had a similar look this morning, at the beach."

She shoved the key into the door and pushed the barrier open. "I'm fine, just bummed the weekend is over."

"But it's only the end of the weekend, and endings turn into beginnings," he said, "If you ask me, this was the most awesome beginning ever."

"Well, I can't argue with that, can I?" She smiled as she stepped inside, her eyes still shining with the sunlight and waves and everything that made the past few days.

Tomorrow, however, would bring them back to reality. "But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"As long as you can keep your hands to yourself," she teased.

"I think I can manage." He followed her into her apartment and set her bag on her couch.

"Wait." Kate stopped, her brow adorably furrowed when she asked, "Tomorrow? I thought you still had to finish your book? Aren't you going back to write?"

"I may procrastinate, but I don't think you're giving me much credit here." He crowded into her space, leaning in close, and by the looks of it, driving her crazy. He loved how her eyes were on his lips as he spoke, "In fact, in this case, I know you're not giving yourself enough credit. This time spent with you has given me more than enough words to finish the book. All I have left is to do a heavy manuscript edit before I send it to Gina."

"So you're not going back to the Hamptons?"

She sounded a little breathless, so Castle took a short step back. Then, he realized, as much as they had talked over the weekend, nothing had been mentioned about him staying in the city after he brought her home. "Not... not unless you want me to go?"

"No," she closed in and kissed him. "I really don't. I mean, not so far away. I've gotten used to you being close."

He squeezed her, loving the press of her body against his, then after another kiss, replied, "I think I can manage to stay in the area."

"Good. Now go home before it's too difficult to let you leave."

"And you just said you wanted to keep me close." Castle smiled and waggled his eyebrows. Kate was so flustered because of him, and it was adorable. "I'm only a phone call away. Or text. Whatever your poison is."

She pushed him toward the door, laughing. "That doesn't even make sense, you goofball. Just go."

He started to turn the knob, then asked, "You'll call if there's a body drop?"

"Yes, I'll call."

"Promise?" He asked and stumbled into the hallway, dodging another half-hearted push from her.

The door clicked shut behind him, followed by the turning of the lock, then Kate's muffled voice, "Promise!"

He couldn't wipe the goofy grin spreading across his face off, even if he tried.


End file.
